Standard External Catalyst Addition Device
An external catalyst addition device in the head of a reactor can serve as a convenient solids charging port at atmospheric pressures. The body of this device is machined with an internal taper to aide in the delivery of the solids into the vessel. It has a convenient screw cap closure. These devices are offered in a variety of sizes to compliment our reactor volumes.
The New Custom External Catalyst Addition Device
Recently, we have offered custom external catalyst addition devices (XCAD) for some of our systems to compliment our standard atmospheric XCADs. These custom XCADs have incorporated a cooling sleeve, ball valve, and sealed screw cap vessel that would allow the user to add the catalyst while the system was under pressure and heated to a set temperature. Previously, this could only be accomplished with an internal catalyst addition device (CAD). The Internal CAD was restricted to solids only and limited volumes.
XCAD as a Solids Charging Port
This XCAD can be used in place of our solids charging port (SCP) for some systems. Even though the ball valves are not rated to the same temperature as the system, if the cooling sleeve is used to keep the ball valve below 100 °C, then this arrangement could be used on systems at a higher temperature. Please note that the rating on the ball valve is restricted and use of this device is dependent on the cooling feature provided.
Since the vessel used for this XCAD is based on our 4790 Series Non-Stirred Pressure Vessel, the volumes have been between 50 mL and 125 mL for the custom systems. A ball valve is needed along with a tapered bottom on the cylinder to facilitate the addition of both slurries and solids with this device.
This feature can be used for some high pressure systems, rated up to 5000 psi, if an appropriate ball valve with a 5000 psi rating @ 100 °C is used. We have provided some of these XCADs without a cooling sleeve option which would be suited for lower temperature conditions due to the ball valve rating.
Contact us for more information or about adding this accessory to one of your new or existing reactor systems!
Related Pages: Solids/Slurry Addition Devices